Rain, Rain, Flow Away

Spring can be the most frustrating season outdoors. Aside from really testing the theory of “no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes,” it has a way of putting what we want out of sync with what we have. The temperature might be perfect, but there’s rain. If there’s no rain, it’s cold and windy. When it’s sunny, the ground is saturated and the rivers are high and muddy. Some years the cycle seems to repeat over and over until June. If you’re looking for an excuse not do something, you’re in luck. But then there’s always a couple of days when everything is just right. Take advantage of those, but go outside whenever you have the chance. 

Ready for the Worst

While weather patterns across the country seem altered recently, thanks to the community response to the devastation of the Dayton flood of 1913, local worries about the massive flooding on that scale are tempered. From March 23rd to March 26th of that year, 8-12 inches of rain fell on Southwest Ohio ground that couldn’t absorb any more. The Great Miami River came out of its banks, destroying levees, and rising to 20 feet above normal in downtown Dayton. When the water receded, more than 360 people were left dead and scores of buildings and property destroyed. Almost immediately, engineer Arthur Morgan was hired by local leaders to design a regional flood protection system. His design won awards, and more importantly, protects the area. Records of top events show that even the biggest flows barely test the capacity of the systems in place. The Taylorsville Dam for example, has only been pushed past 10% of its capacity once since it was created. 

https://www.mcdwater.org/flood-protection/taylorsville-dam 

Read the complete column here: Rainy Season Is Here, You're Protected in Dayton

If you’re interested in learning more about the largest drainage in our area and what’s happening, the Five Rivers Metro Park is hosting an EcoTalk series that will address Fisheries and Wetland Research on March 10th. 

EcoTalk: Fisheries and Wetland Research

Mar. 10 6:00pm - 7:30pm

AGE: 12 and up | FREE

River and Floodplain Restorations in the Great Miami River Watershed

by Donnie Knight, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

Fish Management and Research in Southwest Ohio

By Mike Porto, Fisheries Biologist, ODNR - Division of Wildlife

https://www.metroparks.org/programs-events-finder/?program_number=V212&api=programs&type=program 

Resources

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/16/texas-flooding-houston-climate-change-disaster?CMP=share_btn_tw 

https://www.mcdwater.org/blog/history/exploregreatfloodhistory

https://www.mcdwater.org/flood-protection/englewood-dam 

https://www.mcdwater.org/maps/taylorsville-metropark 

First Robin of the Year VS First Robin of Spring

"Honest as a robin on a springtime windowsill," sang Randy Travis in the hit song, "Deeper than the Holler." Turns out the robin isn't an automatic harbinger of spring. However, that little bugger singing on your windowsill at 6 in the morning isn't a liar either. 

Some of the earliest migrators to return back to Southwest Ohio from southern climes and establish breeding territories, they’d follow food sources back. The early bird gets the worm - and the prime location. We know and associate robins and worms. At least that’s what I was taught and thought in grade school. Turns out seeing a robin after New Year's is about as good a predictor of the coming spring as a groundhog seeing its shadow, meaning not very good at all. Where they actually spend the winter is more complicated than the temperature and the calendar. 

It’s true, robins often migrate great distances. Some have been documented flying from Alaska to Mississippi. It’s also a fact that robins are found in all 48 continental United States year round, and some barely migrate at all, maybe 60 miles, maybe less. They even spend winters in Minnesota and Canada. But they don’t show up at traditional backyard winter bird feeders. When we don’t see them hopping around yards, it’s natural to assume they all flew south. The truth is, they follow the food, like just about everything else.

Read the complete column here: Seeing this bird doesn't mean winter is over

Resources

Audubon Field Guide - Hear calls here - https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-robin 

Are Robins Really a Sign of Spring

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/ask-kenn-are-american-robins-really-sign-of-spring

Robin Migration

https://explorer.audubon.org/explore/species/1055/american-robin/migration?_gl=1*1s8l2jj*_gcl_au*NTU3NjgyNTU1LjE3NzE4Nzk4NzY.*_ga*MTU5MjIxMTI4My4xNzcxODc5ODc3*_ga_X2XNL2MWTT*czE3NzE4Nzk4NzckbzEkZzEkdDE3NzE4ODA1NTAkajYwJGwwJGgw&layersPanel=expand&legend=collapse&zoom=2&x=-757140.2805500003&y=3649623.827899999&range=0.2346%2C0.2546 

Ohio DNR - American Robin

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/animals/birds/american-robin 

A Starling in a Pear Tree

https://ecommons.udayton.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1346&context=uhp_theses 

100 Years of Cunning Super Genius Canis Latrans

Years ago, (let’s say late 1990’s) I was taking an early spring morning walk on the edge of a fenceline with my German Shorthaired Pointer, Eva. When a coyote popped out in front of us, maybe 60 yards from me and 30 yards from Eva, I wasn’t sure what to expect: Eva had never took a step backwards in her entire life. When the coyote bolted, she took off after it and made up the 30-yard head start in less than 100 yards. Calling her back was to no avail, so I ran too. 

I learned two things that morning. First, coyotes aren’t nearly as fast as I had expected. No wonder Wile E. Coyote can never catch the roadrunner. And two, I didn’t worry as much about encounters with single coyotes and my medium-sized dogs anymore, at least not ones traveling alone. Coyotes are survivalists, and tangling with hunting dogs isn’t smart for that objective. My perspective would change if the dog were smaller and alone, or multiple coyotes were involved.

A Century of Coyotes

Coyotes weren’t Ohio residents at the turn of the last century. The first sighting was around 1919, a handful of decades after wolves were extirpated from the state. At a time when many other wildlife populations were just beginning to recover across the state, whitetail deer for example, they walked in at an average weight of 35 pounds as the new apex predator on the block. Read the complete column here: This cunning predator has called Ohio home for 100 years

Sweet End to Winter - Maple Syrup

According to Buddy the Elf, the fourth and most natural (least processed) of the elves’ food groups is syrup.

Judging by the movie scenes, it’s maple syrup — that’s what people mean when they say syrup. It doesn’t need additional description unless it’s not maple.

And while some states to the north of Ohio have a reputation for great syrup, Southwest Ohio is no slouch. There are a number of local producers available. Starting soon or now is the time to begin tapping maple trees and collecting syrup. While I’ve never done it, it’s something within the reach of anyone with access to some maple trees, some basic tools and some time, at least according to the Ohio State Extension Office and the internet.

Check out details and a list of events here: Events highlight the local maple syrup making process

Feb. 14: Maple Celebration and Backyard Bird Count at Armco Park: warrencountyparks.com

Feb. 21: Maple Sugaring for Beginners at Caesar Creek: ohiodnr.gov

Feb. 21: Maple Sugaring at Carriage Hill Metro Park" metroparks.org

March 14: 59th Annual Maple Syrup Festival at Hueston Woods: ohiodnr.gov

Hobby maple syrup production: ohiomaple.org/documents/Hobby-Maple.pdf

It’s of Snow Value to You

A blanket of snow. Today, most people hear the phrase and think of it only as a visual metaphor, if they think of it at all. Snow covers everything; it looks like a blanket, end of story. What’s really happening is much more than a visually blanketing; it’s a literal blanket. And it’s not just for Nordic babies taking winter naps outside (living that “no such thing as bad weather” early), it's part of the seasons of life.

Snow is a little bit of frozen water surrounded by a lot of air. Just like home insulation is some foam or fiberglass with pockets of air (just ask these guys), it provides a barrier to the different temperatures on both sides without conducting it through. And while to our exposed skin ice particles are cold, temperature is relative. In many instances (take last week for example), the snow is comparatively much warmer than the outside air temperature. This provides protection for plant roots and stems from extreme cold or dramatic freeze and thaw cycles. 

Read the column on the Dayton Daily News website here: The Real Power of a Blanket of Snow

Different animals deal with winter and snow in varying ways. On extremely cold nights, ruffed grouse will sometimes give up their roost in trees for one under the snow, diving into the powder to completely cover themselves until morning. Check out this video.

Resources

Nordic Babies in Winter

Farmers Almanac - Winter Garden

Nitrogen and plants

Ruffed Grouse Under Snow

Winter Reptilian and Amphibian Survival

Ohio Ticks and Diseases

Boundary Waters

 Have you been? I haven't. Want to go ... ever? i certainly do. Check the progress.

New Outdoor Callings, Maybe with Calls

Another waterfowl hunting season come and gone in Southwest Ohio (well maybe one more week for geese) and I didn’t hunt waterfowl. I joke about embracing cold or wet, but never the two simultaneously. Cold and wet is what waterfowl hunting has always looked like to me, never mind the really early mornings. But I know there has to be more to it than that because it clearly gets to people I know and becomes their passion. 

I was pheasant hunting along the Mad River years ago when I heard what I was sure had to be the worst duck caller in the world. It didn’t sound at all what I thought a duck call should sound like. Clearly my experience was limited, because there weren’t any other hunters on the property, just hundreds of ducks filling up the ice free river that day. I filed that in my brain under “outdoor TV shows haven’t actually taught me much about duck hunting.” So I don't know anything, but there are ways to learn. The ODNR has outlined steps.

• The Benefits of Learning to Hunt
• Waterfowl Hunting Considerations
• Hunter Education and Safety
• Build Your Skills: Learning Opportunities
• Learning Resources: Preparing for the Hunt
• Learning Resources: Hunting Equipment
• Learning Resources: Hunting Waterfowl
• Learning Resources: After the Hunt
• Cooking - Make Your Culinary Experience Wild!

Read the complete column here: It's a good time to prepare for new outdoor interests

Check out the ODNR Getting Started information here, from pollinator gardens to waterfowl decoy setup.

Wildharvest Community

Getting Started Waterfowl Hunting

Cabela's Bargain Cave

It's a Start

This right now is the extent of my duck-hunting equipment: a gifted call that I have no idea how to use. 

Keeping Kids Smiling in the Cold

“I can’t feel my legs,” said Audrey Griswold in the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation as her father Clark leads the family on a forced winter march in search of the perfect Christmas tree. Later, as Audrey relays her misery and increasingly worse symptoms to whoever will listen, he quips, “That’s all part of the experience.” For certain, that’s what many people think of when it comes to snow and colder temperatures: misery.

Read the complete column to learn some quick tips on keeping kids warm outside and local events: Outdoor activities don’t have to stop when the temperature drops

Events

Winter Tree Identification

January 31, 2026

Cox Arboretum MetroPark: Mead Westvaco Theatre | 10:00am - 12:00pm

AGE: 10-17 | $3.00

Did you know that even when the trees don't have leaves in the winter, there are still ways to identify them?!

https://www.metroparks.org/programs-events-finder/?program_number=U122&api=programs&type=program 

Tree-Tapping Basics at Kingswood Park

 Jan 31, 2026

 10:00 am - 11:00 am

 Kingswood Park Activity Center

COST: Free

AGES: Any (children must be accompanied by a responsible guardian)

REGISTRATION REQUIRED?: Yes

https://www.warrencountyparks.com/events/event/tree-tapping-basics-at-kingswood-park/2026-01-31/ 

*A minimum of five people registered for this program to take place

Celebrate Backyard Birds

Saturday Feb 7, 2026

Germantown MetroPark: Twin Valley Welcome Center | 10:00am - 11:30am

AGE: 3-13 | FREE

Openings: 10

Like a canary in a goldmine, birds are indicators of change of the health of our local habitats. https://www.metroparks.org/programs-events-finder/?program_number=V67&api=programs&type=program 

Toddler Trek: Woodland Birds

 Feb 9, 2026

 10:30 am - 11:30 am

 Armco Park- Jones Pavilion

COST: Free

AGES: 2-6 year olds with a responsible grown up

REGISTRATION REQUIRED?: Yes

https://www.warrencountyparks.com/events/event/toddler-trek-woodland-birds/2026-02-04/ 

Trail Tots: Love in Nature

Feb 12, 2026

Admin - Board Room

Age at least 3 yrs but less than 5y 11m 4w, Mixed

Little explorers will discover animal families and how they care for each other. Explore and spark a love for nature with a story, song and craft.

https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/ntprd/activity/search/detail/4607?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true 

Maple Celebration and Great Backyard Bird Count Open House at Armco Park

 Feb 14, 2026

 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

 Armco Park Jones Pavilion - 1223 N SR 741, Lebanon, OH 45036

FREE community celebration! Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count and enjoy an authentic maple sugaring experience.

https://www.warrencountyparks.com/events/event/maple-celebration-and-great-backyard-bird-count-open-house-at-armco-park/2026-02-14/ 

Maple Sugaring

Feb 21, 2026

Carriage Hill MetroPark: Carriage Hill Historical Farm | 10:00am - 4:00pm

AGE: All ages | FREE

Openings: Unlimited

Nature has its own way of providing us with sweeteners. Come join us as we do maple sugaring on the farm.https://www.metroparks.org/programs-events-finder/?program_number=V4&api=programs&type=program 

Resources

https://time.com/collection/guide-to-happiness/4706590/scandinavia-world-happiness-report-nordics/

https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=frostbite-and-frostnip-in-children-90-P02820 

Brownfieldagnews.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTKpKBzd7jg

Rolling the Dice on Ice

“I'm not going out there. That’s crazy.” That was the response heard in our car when we visited Madison, WI, one March. We were looking at a group of ice fishing tents.

As a guy who has repeatedly tested the height limits of hip boots against the uncertain depth of the muddy bottom of creeks and came up with not quite enough boot, I can assure you that Ohio water outdoors in January and February is plenty cold. And I’ve stepped through frozen cattails and found myself up to my knees. That’s more than far enough for me. I’m really not looking for any cold plunges, intentional or accidental. Making Ice The common expression and shared by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is “there’s no such thing as safe ice.” What they mean is that you should always be aware of the conditions and state of the ice. The only way to know for sure is make a hole with a spudbar or ice auger and measure. But you can get an idea of when it might be time to venture out and measure by calculating the number of freezing days. That can help determine if the body of water is making or losing ice. Calculate Freezing Degree Days (FDDs)

• Find Daily Average Temperature: (High Temp + Low Temp) / 2
• Calculate FDDs: 32°F (freezing point) - Daily Average Temperature
• Estimate Ice Growth: FDDs / 15 = Approximate inches of new ice or one inch of ice for every 15 FDDs

Read the complete article here: Ice Fishing in Ohio - All ice is not equal And avoid shortcuts across streams or any ice you’re not 100% sure about, as one deer hunter recently found out at Buck Creek State Park the hard way. But don’t miss out on opportunities out of fear. We ultimately all made it out onto Lake Mendota.

Resources

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/recreational-safety/ice-thickness-guidelines 

https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/family-friendly/winter-activities/ice-fishing

https://www.almanac.com/ice-thickness-safety-chart 

https://mikerowe.com/2020/03/walk-me-through-this-safety-third-thing/#

Gear
Ice Augers

For Birds - There Ain't Nothing Better When the Wind Cuts Cold

Food and shelter are the foundation of life for wildlife during the Southwest Ohio winter. Being efficient in finding food and minimizing exposure to the elements and predators are key. That’s why winters can sometimes seem bleak and lifeless. Much like we run to the grocery and then go immediately back inside, animals dash out to food sources and then back to shelter. There isn’t a lot of loafing around when the wind cuts cold. 

You can add some action outside your windows by creating or enhancing food, shelter, or both where you can see it. I once hung a feeder outside of an office window that I made from a plastic peanut-butter jar and a promotional Frisbee. If you know me, you’re not surprised by this at all. 

If you want to be selective in what you’re feeding and attracting to your area, you’ll want to be intentional about the style of feeder and what it contains. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources offers these suggestions for winter feeding: 

• Sunflower Seeds
• Peanuts
• Niger Thistle
• Millet
• Corn
• Safflower Seeds
• Suet

Check out the complete column to see what seed might be right for you: Want to attract birds to your backyard? Give them what they need

Whatever feed you choose, make sure to periodically clean the feeders, especially in the event of warmer weather. Suet can turn rancid if temperatures climb, and it wasn’t that long ago that the ODNR requested that feeders be pulled during the summer. 

If you see wildlife that looks sick or disabled, report it to the ODNR through their reporting portal here: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/987f2ade0037405ea9ff1819aab040a8?portalUrl=https://gis.ohiodnr.gov/portal 

Resources

Backyard Wildlife

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/stewardship-citizen-science/backyard-wildlife

Publications

https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/backyard-wildlife/Attracting%20Birds%20in%20Ohio%20pub037.pdf 

Bird Buddy (responsible for this cover image shot) https://app.mybirdbuddy.com/media/springfield-united-states/6e2d8371-30b6-4cd4-b6a1-fdc4e88db806

Fresh Start for Fresh Tracks

 

A clean slate. That’s what some think of the New Year. But a clean slate is literally what a fresh overnight snow provides to the outdoor landscape. There’s nothing better than a couple of inches of new snow to reveal what’s passed by, complete with as definitive of a time stamp as the outdoors provides this side of a digital trail camera. 

To paraphrase hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, who said, “skate to where the puck is going, not where it is,” use the tracks to determine where the animal is going. Deer and rabbits are both known for watching their backtrail, so they’ll be looking for you, too. Seeing them before they see you is the trick. Look for slight elevation changes where a deer might bed down to watch their trail and along edges of cover before you approach. 

Read the complete article, Snow helps track what wildlife are roaming locally

Photo credit to Dave Woehr https://www.flickr.com/photos/s5200/50990143467/in/photostream/

Looking Ahead ... And Looking Way Ahead

It’s a fact. The hours of sunlight are getting longer from now until late June. But that doesn’t mean the days won’t feel short with the early setting sun. Switching to a new calendar is always a good time to mark things you want to do again or for the first time if you missed the opportunity. (Note to self: mark a date in June to find green walnuts for Nocino for real this year. Just do it.) There are lots of things that mark the seasons personally for me. By no means am I anywhere near Bill Felkner’s level of knowledge and detail recording seasonal happenings (don’t forget the average part of this outdoor column), but looking back is a good reminder for opportunities taken, and missed, and where more could be done. 

Take a class, or go on a hike. 
Of course, you can always visit our public lands on your own. Winter is a great time to get away outside and there is seldom anything that approaches the crowds of summer. Cottontail Rabbit, Ringnecked Pheasant, deer archery, and squirrel seasons are still open. And if none of that suits you, read or reread “A Sand County Almanac” by Aldo Leopold. It’s a timeless series of great essays on our connection to the world and our place in it. I’m going to mark a date in June to find green walnuts for nocino, in what’s become a stretch goal for me. 

Read the complete column here: The new year brings new opportunities to connect with the outdoors

Five Rivers Metro Parks

National Trail Parks and Recreation Department

Metro Parks of Butler County

Buckcreek State Park

Ceaser Creek State Park

A Sand County Almanac

Nocino

1. https://www.themeateater.com/wild-and-whole/wild-recipes/how-to-make-nocino

More to come

Ohio Christmas Bird Count

Knowing is critical. Actually wanting to know is the most critical - and to care. At the end of the 19th century, wildlife conservation was barely a thought. Many people thought that animals couldn’t go extinct or be eliminated by humans. Until they were. 

The first Christmas Bird Count (CBC) happened in 1900, proposed as an alternative to the “side hunts” by Frank Champman, an early officer of what would become the Adobon Society in 1905. The thought was that the birds could actually be counted without bringing all of them to bag. The interest was immediate, including 25 locations from California to Canada, and counted 90 different species. Today, there are bird counts in all 50 United States and 20 foreign countries, involving tens of thousands of participants and counting millions of birds.

Read the complete column online here: The Christmas bird count: The tradition that shocked America into saving wildlife

https://www.audubon.org/content/cbc-data-bird-trends 

https://www.fws.gov/story/tis-season-christmas-bird-count 

https://audubon.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=ac275eeb01434cedb1c5dcd0fd3fc7b4 

A Murder ... and Then Some

 

A murder of crows is a group of three or more. What happens in Springfield every year has no problem flying past that threshold. One … five … nine … 100 … 130 … I was stuck in a parking lot on Upper Valley Road on the west side of Springfield.

Well, not really stuck — because I chose to be there — and the car was running fine. But I was waiting in the parking lot as the sun was just beginning to fade and one group of five or six crows passed by. Then another and another. It went on like that in a steady stream for more than 30 minutes and was still going when I left.

They didn’t pass over in organized flocks like geese in a V formation. Or fly in tight clusters like pigeons. Or giant murmurations like starlings, although the numbers could support it. And they were all headed to the same place - to roost in downtown Springfield for the night.

Read the complete column here: Counting Crows

Resources and Links

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/animals/birds/american-crow 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/crows-perform-yet-another-skill-once-thought-distinctively-human/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gui3IswQ0DI

https://www.cnet.com/tech/watch-a-wild-crow-tackle-a-complex-eight-step-puzzle/ 

https://www.facebook.com/clarkcountyhistory/videos/750962162965021 

You Don’t Have to Look Far to See Wildlife

Many people move around the landscape and just see cars, people, and signs of places to surrender their legal tender. Unless there is a snow-covered mountain peak, palm trees by a white-sand beach, or a herd of bison charging through the snow, they’re bored. They think nothing is happening. I feel bad for those people. While they might not see it, they’re is always something happening outside, even on the coldest days of winter.

Wanna bet? If you’re reading this in Southwest Ohio, no matter where you are, I’ll bet real money that a Whitetail deer has been within ¾ mile of you in the last 24 hours. That’s hedging my guess because I think ½ mile is the real number. Although it varies by specific locations, with estimates of deer density at 16 deer per square mile, it’s almost a given. That also means just a few days ago, somewhere nearby, a pair of bucks were fighting in the woods. In the spring, does will give birth to and raise their fawns within earshot of humans and passing cars. 

Read the complete column here: Wild Neighbors: How to Spot Wildlife Living Near Your

Aviation Trail - The Pinnacles

https://www.aviationtrailinc.org/additional-trail-sites 

Spring Valley Wildlife Area

https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/spring-valley-wildlife-area 

Field Guides and Backyard Guides

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-odnr/wildlife/documents-publications/backyard-wildlife-documents

Deer Density

https://www.bestdeerfences.com/blog/deer-population-in-us-by-state/ 

Straight Shooter for Safety

“Why?” said a deer hunter I was talking to from Missouri a few years ago, as he was baffled by an Ohio deer hunting regulation. “Why would they do such a thing?” he asked. I was talking about Ohio’s change 10 years ago to allow straight-walled rifle cartridges, a big step in accuracy and consistency from shotgun slugs, pistols, and muzzleloaders. But throughout most of the country, not allowing shouldered cartridges, including some of the most traditional calibers, the 30/30 and 30/06 for example, would feel alien to deer hunters. He couldn’t fathom hunting deer without them.

What is a Shouldered Cartridge?

Image from Ohio Department of Natural Resources 2025-26 Hunting Regulations https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/Ohio%20Hunting%20and%20Trapping%20Regulations%20ENGLISH.pdf 

I touched on this topic more than a decade ago, but apparently, Ohio hunters couldn't wait for the change. Sales for straight-walled cartridge rifles have soared. Cartridges available aren't just the standard high-power revolver options, but a range of new offerings created specifically for the purpose, as well as the grand daddy of them all, the 45/70. As of last year, the newly allowed rifles were second only to crossbows, which have a much longer opportunity with the number of days allowed. The numbers dwarf those taken with shotguns. Handguns are just for those looking for an extra challenge now. And hunting accidents continue to decline. You can read more in my column, Ohio hunting regulations prioritize safety — and accidents are declining.

Legal Ohio Deer Hunting Firearms

Shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller shotgun using one ball or one rifled slug per barrel (rifled shotgun barrels are permitted when using shotgun slug ammunition).

Muzzleloading rifle: .38 caliber or larger.

Muzzleloading shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel. 

Handgun: With 5-inch minimum length barrel, using straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger. The barrel is measured from the front of the cylinder or chamber to the end of the barrel.

Straight-walled cartridge rifles in the following calibers: All straight-walled cartridge calibers from a minimum of .357 to a maximum of .50. Shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles can be loaded with no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined.

Ohio Deer Harvest 2024-25 by Implement

Crossbow: 78,254 (33%)

Straight-walled cartridge rifle: 77,027 (32%)

Shotgun: 34,338 (14%)

Vertical bow: 30,839 (13%)

Muzzleloader: 17,092 (7%)

Handgun: 587 (less than 1%)

I don't currently personally have a straight-walled cartridge rifle and I'm not in the market, but these would be on my short list for reasons that don't extend out of my head into actual experience.

Marlin 1894 in 44 Magnum

Savage 110 Trail Hunter in 350 Legend

Ruger No. 1 in 45/70 Government, (if they ever make it in that caliber again)

A (New) Traditional Bird

 Rooster! Wild ringnecked pheasants were not present on the first Thanksgiving Day table. Nor were they on the menu for anyone in North America returning home after the Civil War. It wasn’t until the late 1890s and early 1900s that pheasants were introduced across the country. With the right environment, their populations took off, quickly becoming a favorite in the field and on the table from coast to coast. Thanksgiving Day pheasant hunts became a family tradition in many homes. This was especially true across the agricultural center of the country during the middle of the last century.  The number of phesants has declined significantly since then.

There are a lot of variables in nature. Weather, predators (including humans), all play a role. But given the right habitat, wildlife populations can bounce back. This is especially true of pheasants. Polygamous roosters and relatively large brood sizes can repopulate areas quickly. Across the country, we saw numbers increase in correlation with the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through the late 1980s to mid ‘90s. That program pays farmers to take highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land out of production. Pheasants probably liked it more than farmers. The program moved the landscape closer to that 50/50 grass/crop land and bird numbers responded. When the program was reduced or the land was not reenrolled, numbers dropped. It’s a pretty simple equation. 

Ready for a Comeback

Iowa has gone through similar swings lately, pulling back to the positive slide dramatically with back-to-back best seasons in more than two decades. The right habitat, combined with a mild winter, dry spring to aid ground nests, resulted in a 43% increase in observed pheasant numbers in one year. Of course, it takes pheasants to make pheasants, but given the right circumstances, they can take care of it. 

Read the column in its entirety here, This bird used to be plentiful in Ohio, now it is harder to hunt 

Ohio Department of Natural Resources Pheasant Status

Pheasants Forever Upland Forecast

Ohio Pheasant Releases

Ohio Private Land Hunter Access

Sleep Champions

“I haven’t slept for 10 days, because that would be too long,” said comedian Mitch Hedberg. Sleeping for 10 days straight might be excessive for humans, but I think I know some people willing to test that theory, especially with the time change, less sunlight overall, and the deep grey of winter approaching. For some wildlife in Southwest Ohio without a holiday to-do list to prepare for, retiring to their favorite sleeping chamber for an extended period is the only thing on their schedule. It’s how they survive. While many think of hibernating bears, true hibernation is just one strategy to avoid the relative cold of Ohio winters.

Read the complete column here: https://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyles/not-just-bears-these-are-ohios-true-hibernators-and-winter-survivors/T4XVWFQQMFDIZELAZGHZXBLW4Q/ 

Witness Ohio's Sleeping Champion - the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel - in a non-sleeping moment. 

 

Resources

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/animals/mammals/woodchuck-goundhog  

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/animals/mammals/thirteen-lined-ground-squirrel 

https://championcitysupply.com/blogs/news/story-behind-the-crow

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/animals/birds/american-crow 

While Black Bears are known for hibernating, it’s a strategy to beat the weather. Bears in Florida, for example, don’t hibernate. They have other weather to worry about. 

How to Not Hit a Deer

Comedian Ron White had this to say about deer hunting: “If you ever miss one, it’s because the bullet is moving too fast. Slow that bullet down to 55 miles per hour, put some headlights and a little horn on it, and the deer will actually jump in front of the bullet.”

Sometimes it seems that he might be right. Like every other mammal, there are
surely varying levels of intelligence and road-crossing ability among Whitetail deer. But it might go out the window during the fall. Deer car collisions are no joke in Ohio, especially during November. According to the Ohio State Patrol, 47% of deer vehicle collisions in our state happen from October to December. November alone accounts for 22%. 

Read the complete column here, Deer Collisions Rise in November, Here's How to Steer Clear

Ohio Deer Strikes by County

dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/statepatrol.ohio.gov/DeerCrashBulletin_2024.pdf

Deer Harvest by County

dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/wildlife-management/020225deerharvest.pdf

Photo by Greg Byman on Unsplash